The Week Ahead in the European Parliament – March 9, 2018

Next week, there will be a plenary sitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Several significant debates, votes and committee meetings will take place.

On Tuesday, Members of the European Parliament (“MEPs”) will vote on a report on cross-border parcel delivery prices. Under the new proposed legislation, part of the e-commerce package, cross-border parcel carriers will be required to report their prices to national authorities and to the European Commission, who will then publish the tariffs. This in turn would allow companies and consumers alike to compare prices more easily. See the report here.

On Wednesday, MEPs will vote on a resolution on the framework of future EU-UK relations prepared by the European Parliament’s Brexit Steering Groupand approved by the Conference of Presidents. The resolution provides that although an association agreement could be an appropriate framework for the future EU-UK relationship, even countries that are closely aligned with the EU, with identical legislation, cannot enjoy benefits or market access similar to EU Member States. See the draft resolution here.

Also on Wednesday, MEPs will vote on the European Parliament’s draft negotiation position on reforms to the EU’s long-term budget, post-2020 (Multi-Annual Financial Framework). The draft negotiating position provides that the EU should promote research programs, support young people and small companies, as well as continue to support farming and regional policies. However, new priorities, including defense, security and migration, should also be financed.

On the same day, MEPs will debate the additional US duties on imported steel and imported aluminum, as well as the EU’s response, with Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Trade.

On Thursday, MEPs will vote on two proposals on the EU’s corporate tax system: the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (“CCCTB”) and the Common Corporate Tax Base (“CCTB”). The aim of the proposals is to enforce taxation in the country where the company’s profits are generated, in an attempt to curb profit shifting. The proposals introduce a single set of tax legislation that, if passed, would apply throughout the European Union. Moreover, digital data would be used to calculate any tax liabilities. See the reports here and here.